加勒堡牆下的社交板球

當我凝視著戈爾的比賽表面時，我的板球風扇悄悄地自我，感激地在第一個測試的第1天勾選了另一個桶列表項目

A Test match at Galle is on the bucket list of most cricket fans, and I was fortunate enough to tick that one off on day one of the First Test at Galle.

大多數板球球迷的遺願清單都在加勒（Galle）進行的測試比賽，我很幸運地在戈爾（Galle）的第一次測試中的第一天打勾了這一比賽。

As you gaze across the playing surface at Galle, your eyes are continually drawn to the ramparts of the Galle Fort which silently but imposingly overlooks the adjacent cricket ground from the southern side. It has been a desire of mine for a long time to watch a Test match at this most aesthetically impressive of venues, and here I am.

當您凝視著戈爾的比賽表面時，您的眼睛不斷地吸引到戈爾堡的城牆上，靜靜地俯瞰著南側的相鄰板球地面。很長一段時間以來，我一直希望在這個最美觀的場所觀看測試比賽，在這裡我就在這裡。

I am touring Sri Lanka with my wife Margaret, who has visited Sri Lanka many times for work. But this is my first visit to the country, and I am continually amazed by the beauty of the island and the friendliness of its people. The humidity is another matter altogether.

我正在和我的妻子瑪格麗特（Margaret）一起參觀斯里蘭卡（Sri Lanka），他曾多次訪問斯里蘭卡（Sri Lanka）上班。但這是我第一次訪問該國，我一直對島上的美麗和人民的友善感到驚訝。濕度是另一回事。

For the cricket, we have met up with a group of mates from my home town of Williamstown – what are the chances?? The night prior to the match, we dined at a restaurant inside the fort, and I detected that the boys were beginning to show signs of wear and tear.

對於板球，我們遇到了來自我家鄉威廉斯敦的一群伴侶 - 有什麼機會？比賽前一天晚上，我們在堡壘內的一家餐廳用餐，我發現男孩們開始表現出磨損的跡象。

Our seats are in a corporate box high in the stand, which affords us the most magnificent of vistas across the oval to the domineering walls of the fort beyond. Not long after taking our positions, Steve Smith is blurting out the words “We’ll bat” almost before the coin has even settled on the turf. And what a toss it is to win.

我們的座位位於看台高的公司盒子裡，這為我們提供了橢圓形到堡壘堡壘牆的最宏偉的遠景。扮演我們的職位不久之後，史蒂夫·史密斯（Steve Smith）幾乎在硬幣安頓下來之前就模糊了“我們將擊球”一詞。贏得勝利是多麼折騰。

Back in Sydney, Pat Cummins might have been chuckling to himself, for his record at the coin toss has been patchy at best. Australia have made a couple of “horses for courses” tweaks to the line-up, the most contentious of which is the decision to leave out wonderboy Sam Konstas in favour of debutante Josh Inglis. With Cummins unavailable, ‘Bolo’ has made way and three spinners are picked.

回到悉尼，帕特·康明斯（Pat Cummins）可能一直在嘲笑自己，因為他在硬幣折騰的唱片充其量是零散的。澳大利亞已經對陣容進行了幾次“課程的馬”調整，其中最有爭議的是決定拋棄Wonderboy Sam Konstas，而不是首次亮相的Josh Inglis。由於康明斯不可用，“ Bolo”已經取得了成就，並選擇了三個旋轉器。

Half an hour into the day’s play, the bowling selections decisions in particular will be franked. Khawaja and Head get Australia off to the best of starts, the latter at his imperious best, although he would have been out in the 20’s had Sri Lanka referred an LBW decision.

一天比賽半小時後，尤其是保齡球選拔決定將是坦率的。卡瓦哈（Khawaja）和赫德（Head）竭盡全力，後者以他最不穩定的態度，儘管斯里蘭卡（Sri Lanka）提交了LBW的決定，但他本來會在20年代中出局。

Just when we are contemplating a Head century before lunch, he holes out at long-off; he is filthy with himself, as he knows that there are runs aplenty here. Usman knows that too, and he will eventually cash in – big time. But Head’s 57 off 40 balls is a platform on which other Australian batsmen will dance.

就在午餐前要考慮一個世紀的時候，他就在長時間的時間裡陷入困境。他對自己很骯髒，因為他知道這裡有很多跑步。烏斯曼（Usman）也知道這一點，他最終會兌現 - 大時。但是Head的40球57球是其他澳大利亞擊球手跳舞的平台。

Head’s dismissal brings Labuschagne to the crease, and all of a sudden it looks like Marnus is playing on a different wicket. Plays and misses, false strokes, scratching around, it feels almost merciful when he nicks one to slip just prior to lunch. This will be the day’s final wicket to fall.

Head的解僱將Labuschagne帶到了摺痕中，突然之間，Marnus似乎在玩不同的檢票口。戲劇和錯過，虛假中風，四處crat著，當他在午餐前劃掉一個人滑倒時，感覺幾乎是仁慈的。這將是當天跌落的最終檢票口。

Smith purposefully strides to the crease, no doubt eager to tick off the 10,000 run milestone quickly – which he immediately does. But he is put down by Jayasuriya second ball, and how costly this missed opportunity will prove is laid bare as Smith pummels the bowling after lunch.

史密斯有目的地走向摺痕，毫無疑問，他渴望迅速取消10,000個里程碑，他立即做到了。但是他被Jayasuriya第二個球放下，而這場錯過的機會將被證明是多麼昂貴，因為史密斯在午餐後擊敗了保齡球。

The rest of the day plays out without problem for the visitors – Smith and Khawaja both appear as imperious as the walls of the fort, watching quietly from just beyond. Sri Lanka understandably employs negative bowling tactics as the game slips away.

剩下的一天對於遊客來說，毫無問題 - 史密斯和卡瓦賈看上去和堡壘的牆一樣毫無意義，從附近靜靜地看著。可以理解的是，隨著比賽的滑倒，斯里蘭卡採用了負面的保齡球策略。

Usman desperately needed this ton; Smith’s fallow period is now fading into the distance as he notches up the milestones. The only question now appears to surround when he himself will pull the pin?

烏斯曼迫切需要這個噸。史密斯的休養時期現在正逐漸衰落，因為他提高了里程碑。現在，當他本人將別針拉動時，唯一的問題似乎圍繞著？

Australia is now in control of everything bar the weather, and as the groundsmen scurry about covering the ground just prior to the scheduled stumps, I suspect it is this variable which may play a part in proceedings in the coming days. But for now, it is time to crack another Lion beer and toast today’s two fine centuries. And of course, that wonderful fort that watched over it all.

澳大利亞現在正在控制天氣的一切，當地面人員在預定的樹樁之前覆蓋地面時，我懷疑是這個變量可能在未來幾天內發揮作用。但是目前，現在是時候破裂獅子啤酒和今天的兩個美好世紀了。當然，那個奇妙的堡壘都關注了這一切。

Leaving the venue, Marg and I strike up a conversation with Josh Inglis’ parents. They are nervous and excited, and looking forward to watching their son bat tomorrow. Mr Inglis said that he noticed us enjoying the hospitality throughout the day, so much so that asks if maybe he could join us for a beer.

離開場地，瑪格和我與喬什·英格里斯（Josh Inglis）的父母進行了交談。他們緊張和興奮，並期待明天看他們的兒子蝙蝠。英格利斯先生說，他注意到我們整天都在享受款待，以至於問他是否可以加入我們的啤酒。

Why not? Maybe we could toast another centurion.

為什麼不呢？也許我們可以烤另一個百夫長。